Literature History Card Author: William Shakespeare ​ Title: Othello ​ Name: Jennifer, Jihan, Eva, Kyra and Rebecca ​ When was the work written?: 1603 ​ When does the work take place?: around the 16th century ​ How is the work organized?: 5 Acts ​ Characters (descriptions, minor characters’ significance, names) ​ Othello- The protagonist of the play. He is a Moor and therefore had others pick on his race even though his status and overall character makes him well likes. He has a phsically powerful figure and respected by all those around him. Iago- The antagonist of the play. He uses Cassio to make Othello jealous. He is Emilia’s husband who is the attendent for Desdmona. Desdemona- The secret wife of Othello and the daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio. She is stereotyped to be pure and helpless. But voiced out her thoughts to save her marriage. She is determined and and self- possessed. Brabantio- The father of Desdemona who Iago tricked into thinking that she was stolen by Othello. He felt betrayed when Othello married Desdmona in secret. Roderigo- Jealous suitor of Desdemona who is young, rich and foolish. He wants to marry Desdemona and so paid Iago to help him. He was frustrated as Othello marries Desdmona and takes her to the Cyrus. He agreed to help Iago kill Cassio. Michael Cassio- the inexperienced soldier that Othello picked as lieutenant over Iago Emilia- Iago’s wife and Desemona’s attendant; gave the handkerchief and told Othello the truth in the end. She is a cynical woman who is very attached to her misstress and distrustful of her husband. Plot summary The play begins with Roderigo wanting for Desdemona to be his wife but only to find out that she has a secret marriage with Othello. From then on, Iago has been trying to ruin Othello and Desdemona’s marriage. He suggested to tell Brabantio that Othello stole her away but that only backfired. So he plans on using Cassio. Iago got Cassio drunk in Cyprus and got him and Roderigo to fight. Cassio ends up stabbing Montano, the governor of Cyprus and that made Othello strip him of being lieutenant. To try to make amends, Cassio is encouraged by Iago to try and go to Desdemona for help. In this, Iago begins to fuel Othello’s jealousy but insinuating false motives into his mind. It was later intensified when Emilia handed Desdemona’s handkerchief to Iago and he used it to show how Cassio and Desdemona was having an affair. Filled with rage, Othello ended up hurting Cassio and smothering Desdemona. Emilia told Othello of what Iago had done and tried to kill him. He ended up killing himself. Point of view/narrator The play has a third person point of view with narration since it is of a dramatic element. We see soliloquy of certain characters to see their internal conflicts/motives (like Iago). 2 literary devices for each: ​ 1. Identify the device and give the example 2. How does this example/device enhance the work? 3. How does this device illuminate a theme or the meaning of the work as a whole? ● Metaphor/Animal Imagery- "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe." (I.i.97-98) In this Iago is telling Brabantio that his daughter (the white ewe) is having sex with Othello (the old black ram),this demonstrates Iago’s true intentions and his underlying maliciousness. This quote ties into the theme of race, as Iago insinuates that laying with Othello is the same as beasts rutting, calling their relationship savage, all because Othello is black and Desdemona is white. ● Simile/ Religious Allusion- “The food that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida."(I.iii.391-392) This is a religious allusion as locusts were often referred to as the food of god, so Iago saying that their love is at first like locusts,lucious, is a compliment to their love. With the rest of the simile Iago is saying that he is essentially going to poison their love and make it go sour. This is significant as it reveals Iago's true plan to ruin Othello and Desdemona's relationship out of jealousy. This is where it plays into the theme of envy, as Iago plans to tear them apart because he is jealous of Othello's success, especially as he sees Othello as lesser because he is a moor. Theme: ​ Jealousy- The jealousy of the characters led to tragedy and a loss to themselves in the ​ end. Iago refers jealousy as the “green-eyed monster” jealousy is close to the other theme of appearance v.s reality. Deceit- Iago was the main source of manipulation but it wouldn't have been successful if ​ ​ ​ the characters did not have doubt in the first place and trusted on another. Prejudice - in the very first scene, Rodrigo and Iago dispararage Othello in racial terms “Barbary horse” and “thick lips”. The characters uses terms that describes Othello as an animal or beast. They use racial language to try to define Othello as a outsider. Appearance v.s Reality- Iago mislead other characters especially roderigo and othello by encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Pride - Othello is defensively proud of himself and his achievements. The allegation of Desdemona's “affair” hurt his pride. He wants to appear powerful and accomplished. Quotes – a minimum of three quotes. (Indicate speaker/situation/significance) ​ 1. a quote that reflects the title of the work a. “Rude am I in my speech, and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace; ​ for since these arms of mine had seven years' pith, till now some nine moons wasted, they have used their dearest action in the tented field.” (1.3.91-111) b. The title character of the work, Othello, describes himself and his service to his country as a man of war, he does this as a way to convince Brabantio that his love for Desdemona is pure. It is here that the reader witnesses the insecurity over his place in society that eventually leads to the tragedy at the end of the work. 2. a quote that reflects a significant character a. “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”(3.3.195-197) b. This is Iago speaking to Othello in reference to his jealousy over the supposed relationship Desdemona, Othello's wife, has with Othello lieutenant Cassio. This is ironic as Iago is the one who engineered the situation that is causing Othello to feel so jealous, Iago did this to sate his own petty need for revenge for the envy he feels for Othello. This statement reveals a lot about Iago, as he is able to speak that jealousy is a worthless emotion that only destroys a man, yet he is enthralled by his envy, allowing it to drive him to deplorable action. 3. a quote that reflects the theme a. “But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor, and it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets he has done my office. I know not if 't be true, but I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety.” (1.3.429-433) b. Iago is describing to Roderigo his reasoning for hating the Moor Othello, he is doing so to justify his plans for revenge. Roderigo is just a cog i n the machine of Iago's revenge against Othello, this entire speech where he states that Othello is sleeping with Iago's wife, is likely just a ploy to manipulate Roderigo into helping him commit despicable acts, this is quintessential to understanding the underlying theme of manipulation and lies that spread throughout the work. .